A rally in support of the victims killed in terrorist attacks in France this week drew hundreds of people to Confederation Park.
Approximately 400 people gathered at the park Sunday, many carrying French flags and signs reading "Je suis Charlie."
The somber rally, organized by the the Association Démocratique des Français de l'Étranger, was held in honour of the 17 people killed in Paris this week in a series of terrorist attacks.
"We absolutely had to be there. There was no way we weren't going to make it," said Chantal Roy, who attended the rally with her family.
Many attendees said it was also a chance to show defiance against terrorism, and to stand strong in support of democratic values including freedom of speech. The group, marching through the park, alternated between chanting "Je Suis Charlie" and singing the French national anthem "La Marseillaise."
"We felt that we had to do something for French people abroad and for Canadians who want to join and show they support the values France is fighting for right now: Democracy, liberty and freedom of expression," said Charles Romero, the President of the Association Démocratique des Français de l'Étranger.
The Ottawa rally was just one of many gatherings held across the country Sunday in parallel with a silent march in Paris. 40 world leaders walked arm in arm down city streets in Paris, with at least one million people bringing up the rear.
The French Ambassador to Canada said the outpouring of support from Canadians since the first attack on Wednesday has been oustanding.
"It's really impressive and moving to see all these messages we got from every level of society across the country," Ambassador Philippe Zeller said.
Charlie Hebdo plans on printing one million copies of their next edition. While the magazine is not generally available in the capital, several International press stores said they hope to receive at least a few copies from their international distributors.
